Sumatra Handbook

by Joshua Eliot & Jane Bickersteth

• ISBN13: 9781900949590
• ISBN10: 1900949598
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2000-05-01
• Publisher: Footprint Handbooks

Summary

Sumatra is a natural wonderland of luxuriant forests, fast-flowing rivers, vast swamps, cool highland lakes and imposing volcanoes. Strikingly beautiful, Sumatra is also home to an array of cultures that have maintained their identity even in the face of Jakarta's modernizing tendencies. Footprint's Sumatra Handbook provides comprehensive coverage of this Indonesian island, including popular destinations like Lake Toba, Bukittinggi and the Riau archipelago, as well as lesser visited places off the beaten track. It includes highlights of Sumatra illustrated with colour photography, and its new travel-proof paperback format fits easily into a travel bag. The guide has practical advice on everything from haggling to hiking, fascinating background information on every aspect of the island's heritage plus unique colour maps to help plan a visit. Includes 8 pages of highlights of Sumatra in colour plus colour maps.

Table of Contents

1
A foot in the door	6	(5)
2
Essentials	11	(2)
Planning your trip	13	(3)
Where to go	13	(1)
When to go	14	(1)
What to take	14	(1)
Tours and operators	15	(1)
Finding out more	16	(1)
Before you travel	16	(3)
Getting in	16	(2)
Money	18	(1)
Getting there	19	(1)
Air	19	(1)
Boat	19	(1)
Touching down	20	(3)
Airport information	20	(1)
Tourist information	20	(1)
Rules, customs & etiquette	21	(1)
Safety	22	(1)
Where to stay	23	(1)
Getting around	24	(7)
Air	24	(1)
Train	25	(1)
Bus	25	(2)
Car	27	(1)
Bicycle	28	(1)
Local transport	29	(1)
Sea	30	(1)
Keeping in touch	31	(2)
Language	32	(1)
Food & drink	33	(2)
Shopping	35	(1)
Holidays & festivals	35	(2)
Sport & special interest travel	37	(1)
Health	37	(6)
What to take	38	(1)
Before you go	38	(1)
On the road	39	(3)
When you get home	42	(1)
Further information	43	(1)
Further reading	43	(4)
The internet	46	(1)
Short wave radio guide	46	(1)
3
North Sumatra	47	(72)
Medan	50	(17)
Bukit Lawang	67	(5)
Brastagi	72	(9)
Lake Toba	81	(2)
Prapat	83	(9)
Samosir Island	92	(403)
Tuk Tuk Peninsula	495
Ambarita	101	(5)
Sibolga	106	(5)
Nias Island	111	(8)
4
Aceh	119	(30)
Background	122	(2)
Banda Aceh	124	(6)
Weh Island and Sabang	130	(9)
Gunung Leuser National Park	139	(10)
5
West Sumatra	149	(50)
Background	152	(3)
Bukittinggi	155	(14)
Lake Maninjau	169	(10)
Padang	179	(11)
The Mentawi Islands	190	(6)
Sungai Penuh	196	(3)
6
Riau	199	(30)
Pekanbaru	202	(4)
The Riau Archipelago	206	(2)
Batam Island	208	(8)
Bintan Island	216	(13)
7
The Southern Provinces	229	(31)
Jambi	232	(3)
Palembang	235	(6)
Bangka Island	241	(4)
Bengkulu	245	(7)
Bandar Lampung	252	(8)
8
Background	260	(30)
History	261	(5)
Modern Indonesia	266	(9)
Land & environment	275	(10)
Culture	285	(5)
9
Footnotes	290	(1)
Glossary	291	(2)
Food glossary	293	(1)
Index	294	(3)
Maps	297	(1)
Colour maps	298